Beverage cooling apparatus having a quick cooling reservoir



Jan. 31, 1950 R. H. TULL 2,495,873

BEVERAGE COOLING APPARATUS HAVING A QUICK COOLING RESERVOIR Filed Aug. 27, 1946 a H R /m 25 1c,

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INVENTOR Poazm' H- TULL.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 31, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEVERAGE COOLING APPARATUS HAVING A QUICK COOLING RESERVOIR Robert H. Tull, Springfield, Mesa, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 27, 194.6, Serial No. 893,253

a: Claims. (Cl. 82-141) where the liquid to be dispensed is intended for beverage purposes, it is, of course, desirable that the liquid be dispensed at a constant uniform predetermined temperature. This is particularly important where the beverage includes a carbonated water component, as the temperature of the beverage is a factor in determining its carbon dioxide content. This in turn is an important factor in the taste of the carbonated beverage to the consumer.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a liquid cooling apparatus from which the liquid is dispensed at a constant temperature to provide a palatable beverage.

A still further object is to provide such an apparatus in which the refrigerating unit, which is of the mechanical type, is proportioned in capacity to the average demand on the system and is not inordinately large to take care of peak loads, and yet which apparatus is so constructed and arranged that the dispensed beverage will be at a uniform temperature regardless of the demands of the system.

A further object is to provide a simple, easily constructed arrangement for obtaining the object aforesaid.

These and other objects are eflected by the invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a liquid cooling and dispensing assembly, the cover being removed, and showing an embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line lI-II of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Primarily, the invention comprises a tank for liquid, which tank is divided by an insulating wall into two compartments. A refrigerating coil is disposed in one of the compartments. Liquid from an extraneous source is supplied to the other compartment from any suitable source, here shown as water from a city supply line, under control of a liquid level controller such as a float valve. Under some circumstances, the water may be dumped or pumped., into the tank by hand. The flow of water from this compartment to the compartment containing the refrigerating coil is controlled by a thermal valve responsive to the temperature of the waterin the latter compartment. It is from the latter compartment that the beverage water is dispensed' The two compartments are separated by an insulating wall so that the water in the compartment containing the refrigerating coil is cooled to provide a source of cooled water for dispensing 2 purposes much sooner than if the tank had only a single compartment. An impeller in the dispensing compartment circulates water over the coil and a second impeller draws water from the receiving compartment when the thermal valve is open and discharges it from the dispensing compartment to the receiving compartment through an overflow port near the top of the compartments. Eventually, in the absence of a. heavy demand on the apparatus, all the water in both compartments will be reduced to dispensing temperature and available for beverage purposes under peak load conditions.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention, It represents an insulated tank divided by a partition II, preferably insulated, into a receiving compartment I2 and a dispensing compartment I3. The receiving compartment I2 may contain a liquid level controller I 4 for controlling flow of water to the I, compartment from a source under pressure such as conduit It.

The dispensing compartment I3 is provided with a cylindrical sleeve I 6 extending from the bottom thereof to near the top. Within the sleeve is a refrigerating coil I! connected by conduits I8 and I9 to the refrigerant condensing unit 20. Axially of the sleeve I6 is a shaft 2i driven at its upper end by a motor 22 and having at its lower end a circulator 23 and an impeller 24. Aduct 25 extends from the lower part of the separating partition II to the interior of sleeve I6 and in this duct are disposed a thermallyresponsive valve 28 and a check valve 21. The valve 26 opens when the temperature of the water in the dispensing compartment is low enough for beverage purposes, while the check valve 2'! prevents backflow through duct 25 from dispensing compartment I3 to receiving compartment I2. An overflow port 28 is provided in the upper part of partition II. A dispensing nozzle or faucet 29 discharges waterfrom compartment I3 to a suitable receptacle 30.

If it is desired to dispense a carbonated beverage, a syrup tank 3I and a carbonator 32 may be disposed in the dispensing compartment I3 where they are cooled and maintained at dispensing temperature by the water in that compartment. This water, which serves as the cooling medium, is also the water which is carbonated; being forced into the carbonator by a suitable pump (not shown). The carbonator is, of course, supplied with C02 from a suitable source.

In the operation of the device, a quantity of water is poured into dispensing compartment I3 and water is allowed to flow into tank I2 from conduit I5 untilfloat I4 closes its valve. With the refrigerating unit operating, the water in compartment I3 is rapidly cooled and when it reaches dispensing temperature the thermal valve opens, admitting more water to that compartment from compartment l2. This water is forced upwardly by impeller 2| and finally overfiows through port 28 into compartment l2. This circulation continues until the water in compartment I3 is above dispensing temperature whereupon thermal valve 26 closes and remains closed until the water in compartment I! has again been cooled to dispensing temperature. The circulator 23, of course, keeps the water in the dispensing compartment constantly circulating whenever motor 22 is energized to equalize its temperature, perforations 23 being provided in the sleeve l6 below the circulator 23 to ensure circulation of the stored water in compartment II. It is the usual practice in apparatus of this type to have the circulator motor 22 connected in circuit with the refrigerant compressor motor so that both operate simultaneously. However. the circulator motor may be in a separate circuit so that it operates continuously.

When the circulator motor 22 is not operating. the check valve 21 closes because of the greater head of water in compartment l3. This prevents equalization of the water levels in compartments l2 and IS, with the result that the cooler body of water in compartment I3 is available for beverage purposes.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the invention provides a simple. accurate and dependable system for maintaining a body of liquid at a uniform dispensing temperat re and that this is obtained by the use of a refrigerating unit of average capacity.

While the invention has been shown in but one form. it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited. but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Liquid cooling apparatus com rising a storage tank from which liquid may be periodically withdrawn for useful purposes and to wh ch additional liquid may be periodicallv supplied to replace that withdrawn, a partition wall dividing the tank into two compartments. a refrigerant cooling unit in one of said compartments for cooling the liquid therein to dispensing temperature. a source of liquid supply to the other compartment. and thermal responsive means controlling flow of liquid from the second compartment to the first compartment in response to the temperature of liquid in the first compartment.

2. Liquid cooling apparatus comprising a storage tank from which liquid may be periodically withdrawn for useful purposes and to which additional liquid may be periodically supplied to replace that withdrawn. a partition wall dividing the tank into two compartments, a refrigerant cooling unit in one of said compartments for cooling the liquid therein to dispensing temperature, a source of liquid supply to the other compartment, and thermal responsive means controlling flow of liquid from the second compartment to the first compartment in response to the temperature of liquid in the first compartment, said thermal-responsive means being disposed adjacent the iower portion of said partition wall.

3. Liquid cooling apparatus comprising ,a storage tank from which liquid may be periodically withdrawn for useful purposes and to which additional liquid may be periodically supplied to replace that withdrawn, a partition wall dividing the tank into two compartments, a refrigerant cooling unit in one of said compartments for cooling the liquid therein to dispensing temperature, a source of liquid supply to the other compartment, thermal-responsive means controlling fiow of liquid from the second compartment to the first compartment in response to the temperature of liquid in the first compartment, said thermal-responsive means being disposed adjacent the lower portion of said partition wall and an overflow port disposed adjacent the top of said partition wall.

4. Liquid cooling apparatus comprising a storage tank from which liquid may be periodically withdrawn for useful purposes and to which additional liquid may be periodically supplied to replace that withdrawn, a partition wall dividing the tank into two compartments, a refrigerant cooling unit in one of said compartments for cooling the liquid therein to dispensing temperature, a source of liquid supply to the other compartment, and thermal-responsive means controlling flow of liquid from the second compartment to the first compartment in response to the temperature of liquid in the first compartment and agitating and impelling means in said first compartment for circulating liquid from said first compartment upwardly into said second compartment.

5. Liquid cooling apparatus comprising a storage tank from which liquid may be periodically withdrawn for useful purposes and to which additional liquid may be periodically supplied to replace that withdrawn, a partition wail dividing the tank into two compartments, a refrigerant cooling unit in one of said compartments for cooling the liquid therein to dispensing temperature, a source of liquid supply to the other compartment, thermal-responsive means controlling fiow of liquid from the second compartment to the first compartment in response to the temperature of liquid in the first compartment, and check valve means for controlling liquid flow between said compartments. said check valve permitting flow only from said second compartment into said first compartment.

ROBERT H. TULL.

REFERENCES CITED The ollo ing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 672,504 Walfersperger Apr. 23, 1901 1,826,791 Kellogg Oct. 13, 1931 1,897,559 Kellogg Feb. 14, 1933 2,009,312 Fugle July 23, 1935 

